Sonic Lanterns 8: Shamrock the Tree Nymph
by Powershade117
Summary: A sequel to "Sonic Lanterns 7: Sapphire the Kelpie." Shamrock, the sister of both Sapphire and Azure, is mentally traumatized and seeking help from G.U.N. But now she gets a new source of help that both frees and twists her mind. Zephyros-Phoenix of DeviantART created this tragic character and many others. It was fun to write this spin-off story. Go check out Zeph's stories too.


"You are afraid, child."

Shamrock sat on her bed in the G.U.N base, her back leaned against the wall and her arms wrapped around her legs, which were tucked up close to her chest. While it was comfortable and the staff was really good to her, she still was showing very few signs of improvement. The memories of her abusive brother attacking and burning her still scorched her mind. It was almost all she could think about. Who was she before that time? She could barely remember. It felt like a whole other life far gone. All she could think about was him. Garnett. Garnett. Garnett. Her haunting memories were only broken up by the sound of this new, strange, and less than friendly voice.

"Wh-Who-Who's th-there?"

Appearing brazenly before her was a bright yellow light. The light brought back memories of the flames that destroyed her life. She huddled back as far as she could. "No, no! G-G-Gar-Garn-n-Garnett?"

The light got closer to her and faded until she could make out a piece of jewelry; a ring. "I am not who you speak of. I feel your fear. It festers in you like a gaping wound."

Shamrock was still fixated on its resemblance to her worst fear, fire, and the cowered even more. "Fire...Fire, no. Don't burn me again. I-I-I'll be good...be good...be good."

"I am not fire. I am your salvation. I am the answer to all of your problems. You have great fear...and you can instill that same fear in the one who hurt you. Be free of him."

"I...can be...free...of G-G-Garnett?"

"All you have to do is slip me on your finger. And all the fear will be gone. You can channel your fears into power; the power to fight back."

"Shamrock thought about it. This ring, a piece of jewelry, was offering her the chance to be normal again. She could forget all about Garnett and be happy. Her family would be happy. Shouldn't she do it? This chance was given to her, seemingly without anything in return. It was almost too good to be true. Shamrock slowly reached out and touched the ring. It was cool to the touch and not hot. She plucked it out of the air. Taking a deep breath and trying to be brave, she slipped the ring over her finger. Her mind was suddenly clear. She was free of her abusive brother. Now she had new thoughts. Thoughts of showing him the same fear that he showed her all these years. With clarity, she spoke. "In blackest day. In brightest night! Beware your fears made into light. Let those who try to stop what's right - burn like his power - Sinestro's might!"

As she uttered the words, she felt the power welling up inside her. It felt good, uplifting even. Her dressed changed from green to yellow. The pink highlights in her dress turned to black. Where a grassy piece was on her chest was only the sinister symbol of the Sinestro Corps. She looked out her window, her heart filled with a new purpose. "Garnett...It is time...to show you what fear REALLY tastes like."

Shamrock instinctively wielded her new powers and flew out of the open window to her quarters. She was labeled a low risk to herself, so she was not kept locked up tight. The doctors had hoped this freedom would help her get better. They talked to her and talked to her some more. The more they made her think about it, the more painful the memories were. While she did talk about it from time to time, she did not feel at peace with herself. All they did was make it worse for her, no matter how much they wanted to see progress. This one event and this one piece of jewelry changed all that, doing more for her than any doctor ever dreamed. She was free and happy at last.

As she flew graciously though the evening sky, she was stopped abruptly by the appearance of another creature, garbed in a yellow suit that matched the color of her own. He also bore the same insignia that adorned her outfit. His eyes stared at her intensely. It was as if they were looking straight through her, looking at her insides or even simply through the other side of her. She adopted a defensive stance, not wanting to show fear. The alien just looked at her and scoffed. "You don't scare me, little one. Nor do you need to hide your fear from me. For I can see it in you…just as the ring did."

Shamrock relaxed a bit, although she still felt uneasy. She glanced at her yellow ring and then back at the pink skinned humanoid creature. "You…have the same power I do, don't you? Did you give this to me?"

"Not directly in this case. I merely created this ring and told it to seek out a good candidate who harbored great fear and one that could spread fear to further our goals of an orderly universe. It seems that you have been chosen. What is your name?"

Shamrock hesitated. While she felt some gratitude toward this being for creating a device that freed her mind of all doubts, he still made her uneasy. She decided to play this carefully. "Sh-Shamrock, sir. My name is Shamrock Mythos."

"Shamrock, huh?" The creature hovered closer to her, causing Shamrock to begin shaking a bit all over. While she expected the worst, he extended an open palm toward her. "Let me formally welcome you to the Sinestro Corps…my namesake."

"Namesake…are you the one that the oath in my head spoke of?"

"Yes. I am Sinestro…and you are part of MY Corps of Yellow Lanterns now."

Shamrock was not sure what to feel now. Fear, gratitude, respect, and admiration all went through her mind. While the oath she spoke did not make much sense to her, she said it with all her heart. She was honored to meet the one who allowed her peace of mind to be possible. Her only reaction was to grab Sinestro in a form of hug, taking him off guard for a second. He exclaimed in surprise, "What is this!?"

"Thank you, Sinestro. I…don't know what else to say. I cannot remember the last time I felt this good ever since…my brother hurt me. But now I am free; all thanks to you. I suppose the only way I can thank you is to swear to serve you and the Sinestro Corps with all that I am. I just…want to see my evil brother and show him that I am not afraid anymore."

Sinestro was not sure what to make of this. Many of thanked him for giving them a chance to fight back, to show the universe what real power is, or even just to get revenge. It was not often that someone showed gratitude for the power he made possible. He cleared his throat and spoke commandingly. "Good. Very good, Shamrock. Now then…let go." Shamrock released her grip and hovered obediently in front of her new friend. "Now then, we have much to do. We need allies if we are to accomplish our goal of order. Then…after you have been trained to more effectively use your power, you will have your chance to teach this brother of yours…and anyone else who allowed this to happen to you…a lesson."

Her mind once again went back to her brother and those who followed him; Pine and Ghost. They allowed this to happen to her, following Garnett's orders every time he squawked. The rest of her people and the other houses were guilty as well by extension. They just stood by and did nothing while Garnett was allowed to torture and manipulate as he saw fit. No one bothered to stand up for her and take revenge on Garnett. They would pay for playing a part in this.

Then she thought to the doctors who claimed to be helping her. She did not believe them now. Sinestro and his ring did more for her in one evening than those doctors have done or could ever do. However, there was more to it. Her sisters and family; they allowed her to be taken away from her home and handed over to those humans. The faces of Azure and Sapphire burned in her mind the most. They were the closest to her and even they allowed it. They did not see that their attempts to help her were not working. The humans only made all the pain come back when they forced her to talk about it for the sake of progress. Azure and Sapphire allowed it.

At first, Shamrock believed them and the sisters who went along with this plan. Now she saw them as fools. This was what true freedom was. Then again, they knew what freedom was from the beginning. They were not traumatized like she was because of their brother. She wondered why they never tried to give Garnett what they deserved. The only answer she could come up with was the most obvious. They were all afraid of him. She scoffed at the idea. They did not know what fear really was; not until she showed them personally what it was like to really be afraid, like she was all this time while they sat back and watched her suffer. She looked at Sinestro with a renewed purpose in her eyes. "Where do we start?"

"We need to find people with sufficient fear and the ability to instill fear in others if given the chance. You seem like a bright young girl. Do you have anyone in mind? You know this world better than I."

"I…may know someone."


End file.
